Foundation 
Walls and 
Basements of 
Concrete 


Concrete for Permanence 


Published by 
Portland Cement Association 





Foundation Walls and Basements 
of Concrete 


Every building should rest on a strong, durable foundation. Be- 
cause it insures uniform distribution of the weight of the building on 
the soil, such a foundation prevents settlement and cracking of walls, 
reduces maintenance and repair costs, and prolongs the life of the 
building. Concrete meets all requirements so well that it is now being 
used for basement and foundation construction almost to the exclusion 
of other materials. Concrete is always used to support skyscrapers, yet 
it is so moderate in cost that it is economical to use it for foundations 
of even the smallest farm buildings. Sand and pebbles make up the 
bulk of a concrete mixture and can usually be obtained locally at 
moderate cost, sometimes for only the labor of digging. Forms are 
easily made by anyone having average carpenter skill and mixing and 


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r 


A sanitary, permanent wall is formed by carrying the foundation of this hog house 
three feet above grade. 


placing is done by common labor under intelligent supervision. Con- 
crete foundations are uninjured by freezing, thawing or other weather 
changes. They are also ratproof, fireproof, economical and perma- 
nent. 


Many cities in rat infested districts have passed ordinances requir- 
ing that buildings be made ratproof with concrete floors and founda- 
tion walls, because no rat can gnaw through concrete. By keeping 
rats out of a storage building, a concrete foundation or basement wall 
will in a short time prevent waste or destruction of food or other 
products equal to its cost. 





ow 


CONCRETE BASEMENTS 








A typical monolithic or solid concrete foundation in place after the forms have been 
removed. Sills are attached to the walls by means of bolts 
set in the concrete. 


Types of Foundation Walls 

Concrete foundation and basement walls are of two types, those 
made of concrete cast in place and those built of precast units, such 
as concrete block. Both types have proved satisfactory. Concrete 
block walls are usually less expensive than solid concrete walls, but 
where loads are very heavy or where there is a severe side thrust 
of soil as in deep cellars or hillside locations solid concrete walls are 
usually preferable. Where unusual strength is required steel rein- 
forcement and concrete pilasters or buttresses are easily added. 





A typical concrete block foundation in the course of construction. This kind of foundation 
may be built quickly and at a minimum of expense, assuring 
a strong, durable structure. 





4 CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALLS 





Designing the Foundation Wall and Footing 


Concrete foundation walls and footings must have sufficient 
strength to support the weight of the building safely and without 
settlement. When the foundation serves as a basement wall it must 
have strength to withstand the lateral pressure of the soil and also 
must be watertight. 


For all types of buildings it is essential to extend the foundation 
below possible frost penetration even though firm bearing soil is 
found at a shallower depth. Then the foundation will not be up- 
heaved by freezing. The depth to which frost penetrates varies and 
may be as much as 6 feet in sections where winters are severe. 


The base of the foundation is usually given a “spread” or “foot- 
ing” to distribute the weight of the building over a larger area than 
covered by the area of the base of the walls. In determining the 
width of footings the character of the soil, as well as the weight of 
the structure and its contents, must be taken into account as the load 
bearing capacities of different soils vary. 


The following table indicates the safe loads for various soils: 


Soft:clay«. G55 fe cect one eee eee 1 ton per square foot 
Wet: sand - 20623 erga et aor 2 tons per square foot 
Birm 2 cla yay. cnc ice eee eee 2 tons per square foot 
Fine:andtdry’sand)1 47s ee eee 3 tons per square foot 
Hardidry clay “va. «.csodets ee tote. 4 tons per square foot 
Coarse sand is) 2. season ae 4 tons per square foot 
Gravel ere oF Sa bas Stee noe eee ee 6 tons per square foot 


To calculate the proper width of footing, it is necessary to esti- 
mate the load to be carried (the weight of the building and contents) 
and to ascertain or make reasonable assumption of the bearing power 
of the soil where the building is to be located. 


Typical Example 
The following example shows the method of calculating the width 
of footing for the two-story concrete block residence, the cross section 



































Zz je 
4 ¥ 

4 a 

is Hi 

ny @ 
Bed a 
@ a 

% z 

Z Second || Floor 2 

& a 

2 i 

4 

% z 

a f a 

a a 

Z a 

kd ea 

% first _\|_ Floor Z 

i 2 4 

UY a % 
2 4-0" a 
XB w 
w w 

we @ 
co crete Floor ; 





CONCRETE BASEMENTS 


mn 





and foundation plan on page 4, the building located on soft clay soil 
that has a safe bearing capacity of 1 ton per square foot. 


Combined “live” and ‘‘dead” loads are assumed to be as follows: 


Firstfloort3 3. ans 50 pounds per square foot 

Second. Hoora sccsee. eae ee 50 pounds per square foot 

Attic? floors een 20 pounds per square foot 

Roof (including wind pressure)....40 pounds per square foot 

Weight of 8-inch concrete block wall, 70 pounds per square 
foot. 

Mh of 10-inch concrete block wail, 80 pounds per square 
oot. 


No deductions are made for door and window openings. 


Note that the “live” load is the load caused by contents and mov- 
ing objects. The “dead” load is the weight of the materials of the 
building itself. Each must be computed or estimated carefully in 
every case. 


Load on Wall Footing per Lineal Foot 
10-inch basement wall, 8 ft. high, 8 times 80 lb. 


8-inch superstructure walls, 18 ft. high, 18 times 70 lb. 
lst and 2d floor loads, 


640 pounds 
1,260 pounds 





supported on walls, 14 span, 2 times 7 times 50 lb. = 700 pounds 
Attic floor walls, 4% span, 7 times 20 lb. = 140 pounds 
Roof load, Area times load divided by perimeter = 280 pounds 
Total load on footing per lineal foot 3,020 pounds 


Since 1 square foot of soft clay soil will bear 1 ton (2,000 pounds) 
it will require approximately 114 square feet to carry 3,020 pounds. 
Therefore, a footing 18 inches wide is needed. A footing of this width 
should be from 9 to 12 inches deep. A good rule to follow in the 
design of footings for small buildings is to make the depth of the 
footing a little more than one-half its width. 


Load on Each Post Footing 


First and second floors, 2 times 7 times 14 times 50 lb. 9,800 pounds 





Attic floor 7 times 14 times 20 lb. = 1,960 pounds 
Partitions = 1,000 pounds 
Total load on each footing 12,760 pounds 


Dividing 12,760 pounds by 2,000 pounds, the load 1 square foot 
will bear, gives 6.38 as the number of square feet needed to carry the 
load. A footing 2 feet 6 inches square has approximately the required 
area. Though this may seem a larger footing than is commonly used 
in small houses, it is needed to carry the load. Central footings with 
too small bearing areas are often the cause of floor settlement in resi- 
dences. 


In a similar manner, the proper width of footings can be deter- 
mined for any size of building. 


Ce ener ee een a |. satan n_s i HallinAuitins al aiaant ana REEEE 
6 CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALLS 


a Ey yas 


Suggested Dimensions for Foundation Walls and Footings of Small 
Buildings 


Under the basement walls of a barn, a concrete footing 2 feet 
wide and 12 inches deep will usually be sufficient. Interior posts sup- 
porting mow floors must also have carefully designed footings to carry 
the maximum load. Small residences generally require footings 18 
inches wide and 12 inches deep. Footings 12 inches wide and 8 inches 
thick will serve for farm buildings such as hog-houses, poultry houses, 
milkhouses and buildings of that size. 


A foundation wall 8 to 12 inches thick is generally ample for struc- 
tures not more than two stories high. Small structures such as poultry 
houses, milk houses and garages require foundation walls from 6 to 8 
inches thick. Basement walls for small and moderate sized residences 
are generally made from 8 to 12 inches thick. 


The thickness of walls is often regulated by state or local building 
code. Eight inches is usually specified as a minimum thickness for ex- 
terior or load bearing walls. In dwellings, private garages and other 
small buildings the actual loading is frequently less than 1/25 of the 
crushing strength of the wall but a minimum thickness of eight inches 
has been commonly adhered to regardless of load for reasons of stability 
and convenience in construction. The thickness of bearing walls in 
heavily loaded buildings is properly governed by the load to be carried. 


Concrete Footings 


The usual prac- 
tice is to lay mono- 
lithic concrete foot- 
ings for all types of 
foundation walls. 
They are easy to 
build and insure uni- 
form distribution of 
the weight of the 
building on the soil. 
They provide an 
evensurfaceon 
which to start laying 
the wall proper 
whether block or 
monolithic. 


Earth Forms 

In building foun- 
dations for small 
structures without 


basements, the earth 
Forms for foundation walls where the embankment serves as walls of the founda- 


the outer form. Illustrations on page 7 show the case 


where wood forms are used both inside and outside. tion trench may be 






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CONCRETE BASEMENTS 


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so firm as to make it 
unnecessary to use 
specially built forms 
for that part of the 
wall below grade. 
The trench should be 
excavated carefully 
so that the sides will 
be even and vertical, 
and care should be 
taken not to knock 
earth into the trench 
when depositing or 
spading concrete. 
eae : Planks placed along- 
SA side the trench will 
Forms for foundation wall above grade. help to protect the 
edges and provide a 
convenient runway for wheelbarrows. In soft ground and for walls 
above ground levels, forms are required. 


Wood Forms 


Forms or molds are the receptacles in which concrete is placed 
so that it will have the desired shape or outlines when hardened. 
Forms are usually built of wood. Where a very regular and even 
surface finish is required, planed lumber should be used. Well 
seasoned, air dried lumber is best, as green lumber will shrink if not 
kept wet, thus opening cracks in the forms through which water 























Forms, when built in sections, are easily erected and removed and may be used many 
times. Sections should not be too long or too heavy for two men to lift. The forms 
shown in this picture would be more convenient if made in sections half as long. 





CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALLS 


oo 





Ly carrying cement will leak when 
the concrete is placed. It is best 
to use lumber that has been 
dressed at least on one side and 
on the edges, because the boards 
will fit closely together and the 
planed surface next to the con- 
crete will reduce the labor of re- 
moving and cleaning forms. 
Tongued and grooved lumber is 
often used for form sheathing, 
and is recommended for tight 
forms. Form lumber should be 
uniform in thickness, as any in- 
equalities of thickness cause un- 
evenness on the concrete surface. 





Forms for a concrete footing in place. Note Beveling one edge of each 

NS Sao ae ney paren per form board reduces the tendency 

toward bulging which might re- 

sult from swelling of the boards due to absorption of moisture from 

the concrete. Any expansion that occurs is taken up by the compres- 
sion of the fibers in the beveled corner. 


Posts and studs for supporting forms must be sufficiently stiff 
and strong to hold forms in true line. Forms should always be rigid 
and well braced in order to withstand the pressure of wet concrete and 
produce a straight, even wall without bulges or depressions. For 
keeping inside form surfaces the proper distance apart, inner and outer 
sections should be clamped or 
wired together, against wood 
“spacers” or “spreaders” of a 
length equal to the desired wall 
thickness. The spreaders are 
removed as the forms are filled 
with concrete. 


Forms should be so built that 
if it is desired to use them again 
or to use the lumber for other 
work, they can be “knocked 
down” with least injury to the 
lumber. Screws or special double 
headed nails are often used in- 
stead of common wire nails for 
making forms. 


To prevent concrete from 
sticking to the forms and to aid 
in their removal, crude oil, soft 
soap or whitewash should be 





: Forms in place for a monolithic concrete 
painted on the forms before plac- foundation wall on completed footing. 





CONCRETE BASEMENTS 


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ing concrete, this being repeated each time the forms are used. 
Retaining Walls 

Foundations for deep cellars and basements for buildings on side- 
hill locations must often withstand a heavy side pressure from the 
soil. These foundations are then designed as retaining walls. They 
require careful design, and if the builder is not familiar with the prin- 
ciples of retaining wall design, he should consult a competent struc- 
tural engineer. Basement walls of large barns are often designed as 
retaining walls. For most residences and farm buildings the ordinary 
basement walls have sufficient strength to withstand soil pressure. 


Concrete Mixtures 

If the foundation is located in soil that is not well drained and is 
to form part of the enclosure of the basement or cellar, a 1:2:3 mix- 
ture (1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 3 parts pebbles or broken stone) 
is recommended for such work to insure watertight construction. For 
most foundation work a 1:214:4 and in some cases a 1:214:5 mixture 
will be found satisfactory. Sand should be clean and well graded in 
size up to one-fourth inch. Pebbles or crushed stone should also be 
clean, hard and well graded, ranging in size from one-fourth inch up 
to 114 inches or more, depending on the thickness of the foundation 
wall. 


Use only enough water to produce, after thorough mixing, a 
plastic workable mixture. Too much water produces a sloppy mixture, 
resulting in a concrete of inferior strength and too little water results 
in a porous concrete also deficient in strength. From 6 to 7 gallons 
of water per sack of cement will usually produce about the right con- 
sistency for a 1:21 :4 concrete. 

Concrete should be placed in the forms in layers of from 6 to not 
more than 10 inches deep and in a continuous operation if possible to 
avoid construction seams. Concrete of the consistency described above 
will require only light tamping but should be well spaded next to form 
faces to obtain smooth, even surfaces. It is well to complete a founda- 
tion or wall in one day’s operation if possible so as to avoid construc- 
tion seams. If it is necessary to stop work before a wall can be 
finished the concrete should be leveled in the forms and the surface 
roughened by scratching it or by placing large pebbles in it projecting 
about half way out of the concrete. This will help to secure a good 
bond between old and new layers of concrete when work is resumed. 
Before depositing an additional layer of concrete the roughened sur- 
face of old concrete should be scrubbed to remove any dirt or scum 
and, just before placing new concrete, it should be painted with 
cement and water mixed to the consistency of thick cream. 


Frozen Concrete 

Concrete may be placed safely even in cold weather if water, sand 
and stone are heated and the finished work is protected from frost. 
Heat hastens and cold delays the hardening of concrete. Under con- 
ditions favorable for hardening, concrete soon acquires sufficient 
Strength to be safe against damage by frost. The warmer it is kept 





10 CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALLS 





the sooner will it reach this degree of hardness. Concrete which has 
frozen before it has thoroughly hardened is often mistaken for properly 
hardened concrete, but when it thaws it will soften. 


Our booklet, “Concrete Around the Home,” gives full directions 
for proportioning, mixing and placing concrete. ‘‘Winter Construc- 
tion with Concrete Masonry” and “Concreting in Cold Weather” 
give directions for cold weather work. Copies of these booklets will 
be furnished free on request. 


Reinforcement in Foundation Walls 

If the wall is to carry extremely heavy loads or is to be subjected 
to excessive side pressure, vibration or unusual strains, steel rein- 
forcement must be used. Reinforcement is also used in walls above 
ground to counteract expansion and contraction caused by tempera- 
ture changes. Reinforcing rods are also required over door and win- 
dow openings. The size and number of rods will be governed by the 
width of the openings and weight of the super-structure. The design 
of reinforcement involves the application of engineering principles 
and is best done by an experienced engineer. 


Concrete Block Basement Walls 

Concrete block are now in common use for the construction of 
basement walls. They may be laid up quickly and economically be- 
cause the units are relatively large, and uniform in size and shape. 
No forms are required. The air spaces in the block help to provide a 
dry, well insulated wall as well as to effect a saving in concrete and 
to make the units lighter and easier to handle. 


Concrete block used in basement construction should have great 
compressive strength or carrying capacity. The block should develop 
an average ultimate compressive strength of 700 pounds per square 
inch over the gross area of the block when 28 days old. Booklets are 
issued by the Portland Cement Association containing specifications 
for concrete block, adopted by the American Concrete Institute, and 
other useful information on the use and manufacture of concrete 
building units. Copies of these booklets will be sent on request. 


For the foundation wall below grade, smooth faced unsurfaced 
block are used. Unsurfaced block are also used above grade and 
when the wall is to be stuccoed. Block having smooth faces or special 
facings of selected aggregate are recommended if stucco is not to be 
applied. 


Laying Concrete Block 

Care is needed when laying concrete block to secure a strong, 
watertight wall. Mortar for laying block is usually mixed in the pro- 
portion of one part portland cement, one part lime and six parts sand, 
(measured by bulk). Use only well slaked or commercially hydrated 
lime. The sand should be clean and well graded. By “well graded” is 
meant that the particles should not be all fine nor all coarse, but 
should be made up of fine, intermediate and coarse particles. Sand 
should pass through a screen having meshes % inch square. Mix 





CONCRETE BASEMENTS 11 





only enough mortar at one time 
for 30 minutes’ work. Retempered 
mortar should not be used, as its 
strength will be reduced. 


Before the block are laid 
they should be moistened with 
water so that they will not ab- 
sorb too much water from the 
mortar, thus reducing its strength. 


In first class masonry work 
joints are usually made from one- 
fourth to three-eighths inch thick. 
All joints should be well filled 
with mortar and carefully pointed. 

fo Joints on the outside wall below 
A line of concrete drain tile placed on the grade should be struck flush with 
outside of the footing assures a the wall surface. 


dry basement. 








Constructing a Watertight Basement 


The time to make a basement wall watertight is when it is built. 
It costs less to build a watertight wall than to repair a leaky one later. 
If properly made, a concrete wall is watertight. The aggregates must 
be carefully graded and properly proportioned with the correct amount 
of cement and water and then mixed and placed as described on the 
preceding pages. However, it is 
not always easy to get first class 
workmanship and when the foun- 
dation is located in heavy water- 
logged soils, water may find its 
way through construction seams. 
To allow for the possibility of de- 
fective workmanship, it is well to 
use the additional precautions 
shown in the illustration on page 
12 and described below. Similar 
methods are used for repairing 
leaky basements and for insuring 
watertightness in basements built 
of concrete block or concrete 
structural tile. 








Gravel or 
cinder fill. 





Flush mortar 
Sous 






4 Concrete 
YOrain Tile 





In each case a line of con- 
crete drain tile is placed entirely 
around the outside of the footing a ee enn 
and is connected to a suitable out- Cross section of a basement wall and foot- 


= i howi 1 ti feeth - 
let. The excavation above the cet icmmelc ocean drat: tiie Caneel 





2 CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALLS 





tile is filled to within a foot of the grade line with gravel, cinders 
or some other material of a porous nature to provide a fill that will 
allow water to seep through quickly. When the foundation is erected 
so near another building that it is impossible to run a line of tile 
around the outside, the tile may be placed on the inside of the foot- 
ing and slightly below it. When there is considerable water in 
the soil it is often advisable to place lines of tile both inside and 
outside of footings. 


As a further precaution in se- 
curing a dry basement, two or 
more coats of cement plaster 
mixed in the proportion of 1 sack 
of portland cement to 2 cubic feet 
of clean, well graded sand may be 
applied, as shown in illustration 
on this page, to the exterior sur- 
face as soon as wall forms are re- 
moved or in the case of a con- 
crete block wall just as soon as 
the mortar joints have hardened. 
The wall surface should first be 
thoroughly dampened. A similar 
coating may be placed on the in- 
side surface if desired. 


Another common method of 
wall treatment is to coat the ex- 
terior surface with hot tar, pitch 
or some other suitable asphaltic 
preparation, using a broom or 
fiber brush. The wall must be 





Concrete block basement walls are some- ; A 
times plastered on the exterior surface clean and dry when this coating 


with a 1:2 cement mortar one-half inch 


thick to increase their watertightness in is applied, otherwise it will not 
wet soils. adhere. The cement plaster treat- 
ment is generally the most satis- 
factory method. 
Basement Floors 
A concrete basement floor should be at least 4 inches thick. It 
may be of two-course construction, using a base of 1:214:4 concrete 
and a three-fourths inch top coat of 1:2 cement sand mortar or it 
may be of one-course construction, using a 1:2:3 concrete throughout. 
In the latter case mortar is brought to the surface by careful tamping 
and a dense, even surface is produced by smoothing with a wood float, 
and finishing with a steel trowel, thus producing a surface that can be 
easily kept clean. A little 1:2 mortar may be used in finishing if 
needed. In general the one-course construction method is satisfac- 
tory. 


If the soil is water-logged, special care should be taken to make 
a tight joint between the floor and the wall. Strips of beveled siding 
well oiled or soaped are placed where the walls and floors meet. 





CONCRETE BASEMENTS ES 


These are taken out just as soon as concrete has hardened sufficiently 
to stand by itself. This can usually be done within a few hours after 
concrete is placed. The joint is poured full of hot tar later, the tar 
being calked or rammed home, 


Where the situation of the basement is such that the ground 
water level is likely to rise above the floor level, further precautions 
should be taken to prevent leakage, since the construction becomes 
similar to the building of a tank, except that external and not internal 
pressure must be provided against. It may be necessary to make the 
walls thicker and to place reinforcement in the walls and floor. Such 





Concrete foundation and floor for a corn crib and granary. Bolts have been embedded 
in concrete for the attachment of sills. 


cases require special design for walls and floor and this should be 
made by an experienced structural engineer. 


Attaching Sills and Plates to Concrete Walls 


Sills and plates of frame structure should be bolted down to con- 
crete walls. The anchor bolts should be imbedded in the concrete as 
shown in the illustration at the top of page 16 the anchor bolt being 
supported by a block laid across the form while concrete is being 
placed. 


Setting Door and Window Frames 


Frames for doors and windows may be set before the walls are 
built or they may be inserted after walls are completed. In the first 
case the frames are carefully set in proper place in the forms before 
concrete is placed. Spikes are partly driven into backs of frames so 
that when concrete is placed they will be securely tied to the wall. 


14 CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALLS 





When frames are set Saar | 


after wall is built 
rough “bucks” must 
be set in forms to 
provide the required 
openings. Nailing 
blocks are lightly 
tacked to the backs 
of the bucks. When 
concrete has hard- 
ened the bucks are 
removed, leaving the 























nailing blocks firmly i =a 

: é oncrete basement steps are not hard to build by the use of 
imbedded in the con- the easily made forms shown in this sketch. The 
crete with one sur- concrete in the steps should be nowhere 


less than six inches thick. 


face exposed. The 

frames are then set and nailed to the blocks. The first method is the 
simpler and insures the tighter joint, and is generally used in all 
except the highest class of construction. 

In constructing concrete block walls, the frames are usually set 
and built in place when the blocks are laid. The frames may be an- 
chored to the wall by driving spikes partly into back of frames at 
mortar joints. 


Cellar Steps 


Concrete steps do not wear out, get loose or become unsafe. The 
space under ordinary stairs where trash and vermin accumulate is 
eliminated when concrete steps are built. 

Forms for cellar steps are shown on this page. The side walls 





Concrete block foundation piers help to ratproof cottages and bungalows 


ee ee ee a a ee ee 
CONCRETE BASEMENTS 1b 


are placed first, using 
the same type of 
forms as used in the 
construction of foun- 
dation walls. Earth 
is then filled in and 
thoroughly tamped 
so as to provide a 
firm base on which 
to place the concrete 
steps. A 1:2:4 mix- 
ture of concrete is 
placed, the treads be- 
ing “floated” with a 
wood float. 





Concrete footings and concrete posts provide strong, durable Concrete Piers 
supports for this cattle shed. They will not decay. ear g ht wooden 


sheds, barns and 

frame houses with- 
out cellars should be supported on concrete piers and posts. Concrete 
piers are rotproof, fireproof, easy to build and will not require re- 
placing. A simple form for a rectangular pier is shown on this page. 
Footing for pier should have sufficient bearing area so that it will 
carry the load without settlement. Proper method for determining 
the size of footing is described on page 4. A 1:2:4 concrete mixture 
is recommended for pier or post construction. 


Piers are often built of precast concrete block. Many maufac- 
turers of concrete products make pier block of various sizes to support 
porches, small houses and other light frame 
structures. If the base of the pier does not 
have sufficient area to transmit the load to 
the soil without settlement a monolithic 
concrete footing should be placed under the 
pier. For the block, a mortar mixed in the 
proportion of one part portland cement to 
one part hydrated or well slaked lime to six 
parts sand (measured by volume) is recom- 
mended. Block should be carefully im- 
bedded in the mortar. 


Machine Foundations 

Concrete is ideal for making founda- 
tions for gas engines, cream separators and 
other stationary machinery. The depth to 
which foundations should extend will de- 
pend on the weight of the machine and 
the load bearing power of the soil. A 
methods of constructing’ forms for machine- “4 simple form that makes ‘the 


construction of concrete 


foundations is shown in an accompanying piers for foundations, 
easy and_ eco- 


illustration. Such a foundation should al- nomical. 








16 CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALLS 





ways be placed first 
and the floor laid 
around it afterwards. 
Anchor bolts for at- 
tachment of the ma- 
chinery are embed- 
ded in concrete, us- & 
ing a template as 
shown. For ease in 
adjustment a pipe 
sleeve larger than 
the bolt can be 
slipped over it, and 
filled with cement 
grout after the ma- 
chine is lined up and 
before it is finally 
bolted down. This 


template is taken off This drawing shows how to make the form for a machine 
after the concrete foundation. Strips across the top hold the bolts in 


has hardened suffi- place while the concrete is being placed. 
ciently to grip the 
bolts and the surface is then leveled off. 



























EIT Sak 





























Laying Out the Foundation 

The easiest, quickest and most accurate way to determine the 
boundary lines of a new building is by means of surveying instru- 
ments. When such instruments are not available, one of the simplest 
methods for laying out corners, known as the right triangle method, 
can be used. A triangle with sides 6, 8 and 10 feet long is a right 
triangle and the 90 degree angle, or right angle, is opposite the longest 
side. 

First, a base line 
is established, mark- 
ing out one end or 
side of the new 
building. See line 
A-B on this page. 
Stakes are set at A 
G3 > and B on this line, 
2 Sp_ «| locating two corners. 
AIP ‘ 7 {| > In the top of Stake A 
a ena Ne aly oe eet a nail is partly driv- 
es ie ie . en in near the center. 
“hye 3 x This nail accurately 
TONES] locates the corner. 
WS Zu > i> On the line A-B an- 

: if ; other stake is driven 


This method of laying out foundations assures true walls at F, 6 feet from 
that are right to receive the remainder of the house. Stake AS A nail 








CONCRETE BASEMENTS 17 





is driven in the top of this stake exactly 6 feet from the nail in 
Stake A. Stake E should be driven so that its center will be exactly 
8 feet from Stake A and exactly 10 feet from Stake F. The corner 
represented by the angle E-A-F is a right angle;the line A-E extended 
to D will form the second boundary line of the building and D will 
represent the third corner. Other corners are located in a similar 
manner. After this has been done, strings are stretched over the cor- 
ner Stakes A-B-C-D and carried to outside supports called “batter 
boards” as indicated by G-H-K-L-M-N-P-R. The top of the hori- 
zontal batters should be set at first floor level or some other con- 
venient “datum.”. The building lines may be projected from the 
strings to the ground by means of a plumb bob suspended as shown 
in the drawing. When the outside Stakes G-H-K-L, etc., have been 
set and the strings indicating the layout of the building transferred 
to them, the corner Stakes A-B-C-D and Stakes E and F are removed 
so that the trench may be excavated. Nails should be driven in the 
batters where the strings are fastened so that in case the strings are 
broken or removed, they can be accurately replaced. How a corner 
may be tested for squareness is clearly illustrated below. Hav- 
ing found the building lines, it is easy to locate piers, posts, columns 
or other intermediate supports. 


f 





» ae” a ae 


In the absence of surveying instruments a corner may be tested for squareness by the 


simple method shown in this illustration. Definite instructions for 
laying out a foundation are given above. 








18 CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALLS 





Quantities of Cement, Fine Aggregate and Coarse Aggregate Required 
for One Cubic Yard of Compact Mortar or Concrete 























MIXTURES QUANTITIES OF MATERIALS 
Cc. A. Cementiin Fine Aggregate Coarse Aggregate 
Cement RevAs Gravel or 

Stone SAE. Cu. Ft. | Cu. Yd. | Cu. Ft. | Cu. Yd. 
1 1.5 15.5 23.2 0.86 
1 2.0 12.8 25.6 0.95 
1 2.5 11.0 27.5 1.02 
i 3.0 a 9.6 28.8 107] na ne 
1 1.5 3 7.6 11.4 0.42 22.8 0.85 
1 2.0 & 7.0 14.0 0.52 21.0 0.78 
1 2.0 4 6.0 12.0 0.44 24.0 0.89 
1 255 4 5.6 14.0 0.52 22.4 0.83 
1 2.5 5 5.0 12.5 0.46 25.0 0.92 
1 3.0 5 4.6 13.8 0.51 23.0 0.85 














1 sack cement — 1 cu. ft.; 4 sacks = 1 bbl. 


Based on tables in “Concrete, Plain and Reinforced,’ by Taylor and 
Thompson. 


Materials Required for 100 Sq. Ft. of Surface for Varying Thicknesses 
of Concrete or Mortar 


C. = Cement in Sacks. 
F.A. = Fine Aggregate (Sand) in Cu. Ft. 
C.A. = Coarse Aggregate (Pebbles or Broken Stone) in Cu. Ft. 


Quantities may vary 10 per cent either way depending upon character of aggregate used. 
No allowance made in table for waste. 
















































































Proportion | 1h ALY LPsee, 1:2Y% ape: 
Fe nee Ce EEA: |e CAT © CRETATINC AME 1 Corl PALA C/A EEC. MIME. A.| aC Al 
% 1.8 74H | 1.5 3.0 JES, aes 1 beak 3.4 
We 2.4 3.6 2.0 4.0 ibd! 4.3 125 4.4 
% 3.6 5.4 3.0 6.0 2.5 6.3 2:2, 6.8 
1 4.8 Tee 4.0 7.9 | 3.4 8.4 3.0 8.9 
1% 6.0 9.0 4.9 9.9 4.2 10.5 hr 111 
1y 7.2 10.8 | 5.9 11.9 Sek Wat 4.4 13.3 
134 8.4 12.6 6.9 13.9 5.9 14.7 5.2 ey 
2 9.6 14.4 7.9 15.8 6.8 16.9 5.9 | 17.7 
| ih era Rink: 122004 bin ORT Te we | ib RVR Sheed 
3 6.5 | 13.0 | 19.3 56a} 11.2) 22-4 al 5.22.9) 1620.6 16146 | 11.5 | 23.0 
4 | 8.6 ere! RS 7.5 14.9 | 29.8 6.9 17.1 27.5 6.2 15.4 30.7 
5 | 10.8 21.6 | 32.2 9.4 18 7a \eo724 wie o.0 ek. o 34.3 ed 19.2 38.3 
6 12.9 25.8 38.6 112 22.4 044.7 ee kO sale o.o 41.2 9.2 23.0 45.9 
8 peliseZ 34.4 51.6 15.0 | 29.8 S97 ie loce 34.3 54.9 12.3 30.7 | 61.3 
10 21.5 43.2 64.4 | 18.7 37.4 | 74.8 | 17.2 43.0 | 68.6 15.3 38.3 | 76.6 
12 25.8 51.6 77.2 22.4 ! 44.7 89.4 | 20.6 51.6 82.4 | 18.4 45.9 | 91.8 








CONCRETE BASEMENTS 19 





How to Use Materials Table for Calculating Quantities 
Problem 1: 


What quantities of materials are required for a monolithic concrete founda- 
tion wall 34 feet square, outside measurements, 12 inches thick, 7 feet high, 
with a footing 12 inches thick and 18 inches wide, using a 1:2:4 mixture in 
both the wall and footing? 


Solution: 


The wall contains 924 square feet of surface, 12 inches thick, deducting for 
duplication at corners. 


Referring to table under 1:2:4 mixture for 12 inch walls, 22.4 sacks of 
cement are required for each 100 square feet of surface. Dividing 924 by 100 
gives the number of times 100 square feet are contained in the total wall sur- 
face and multiplying by 22.4 gives the total number of sacks of cement required, 
Similar calculations are made for the fine aggregate and the coarse aggregate 
in both the wall and the footing, noting that the width of the footing, 18 
inches, is 114 times the 12 inches thick. 


924 x 22.4 

——_————. = 207 sacks cement. 
100 

924 x 44.7 

—_—————. > 413 cu. ft. fine aggregate. 
100 

924 x 89.4 

—_—_— = 826 cu. ft. coarse aggregate. 
100 


The footing contains 132 square feet of surface, 18 inches thick (1% x 12 
inches) deducting for duplication at corners. 


132 x 22.4 x 1% 
——________ = 44.4 sacks cement. 
100 
132 x 44.7 x 14% 
—— | —_ 85.5 Cli tt, tine ag erepate, 
100 
132 x 89.4 x 14% 
—___—_______ — 177.0 cu. ft. coarse aggregate. 

100 


Total materials required for footing and wall: 251.4 sacks cement, 501.5 
cu. ft. fine aggregate, 1003 cu. ft. coarse aggregate. 


Problem 2: 


What quantities of material are required for a 1:2 cement plaster coat, 
one inch thick on the lower four feet of the above foundation? 


Solution: 


Perimeter of foundation: 4 x 34 feet = 136 feet. This multiplied by height 
of plaster coat, 4 ft., equals 544 square feet. 


544 x 4.0 
ee — 2 Sesack sore cement. 
100 
544 x 7.9 
i242 SCT taSAnGs 

100 


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